What Was Your Last Impulsive Pen Acquisition?

[Runnin_Ute]

On 8/1/2025 at 9:01 PM, Runnin_Ute said:

On a BIN on ebay a 1975 Parker 75 Cisele with M stub (70) nib.

 

[ParramattaPaul]

2 hours ago, Black16 said:

I use both hands but prefer to write with the right only - making notes etc while doing something with the left. And I most of the time just turn the whole notebook/paper piece vertically as writing at the regular angle gives me pain and irritation. So basically I over-write with the right hand but to make it more convenient I just turn the paper. Ballpoints and even rollers always gave me so much pain I ditched them long ago. Also they do not have so many ink choices to please my tired eyes. I even buy off-white, cream, ivory etc paper only as white sheets don't do me any good with their brightness.

 

I do not posses many valuable pens but as long as they help me to get less tired and do not worsen pains they're precious. I've actually no idea if they'll be of any interest for anyone after I'm gone but hopefully they will find good homes with persons who will care for them. Mostly I always worry about the cheapest pens honestly - for example Parkers can attract attention but Jinhao Shark probably won't. Yup from time to time I tend to worry about even the most "worthless" pens I own as to me they're almost like some kind of pets (we can't have pets sadly, at least not for now).

DANGER! DANGER!  Long run-on sentences follow!

 

Perhaps I am too much of a sentimentalist, but I believe firstly that things that belonged to a loved one have an intrinsic value that exceed the monetary, and secondly, all things of another era, such as my 'two bob' Platignum school pen, are significant and have value to others, like me, who cherish them for their place in history -- history being literally the family story of all of us.  That said, I am the caretaker of all that I possess.  Nothing is 'mine'.  everything I have is for me to use and enjoy while I am here, and in the fullness of my time, it will be for others to cherish and use.  Perhaps delusionally, I like to think that those who possessed and used the vintage pens I have had the same belief.

 

As for pets, I wouldn't mind having a dog or a cat, but I was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 (In remission thanks be to God!) and was hospitalised for most of 2019 and 2020, have been in and out of hospital too frequently since to have a pet.  Also, I want to travel a bit now that I am healthy again.  I believe being put in a kennel repeatedly it would cause a dog or cat too much stress. 

[ParramattaPaul]

1 hour ago, boilermaker1975 said:

@Black16 I too love the special edition Onotos.

 

My first Onoto was bought earlier this year, the BRG scholar. It was not exactly a LE, they took orders till I believe the end of February or March and then that was it.  I wish that I knew what I know now when I was ordering. (Do those sound lyrics sound familiar to anyone?) I would have gotten the other two colors, Northern Lights and Dark Cherry. They were only around $160. 

 

I dropped hints and for my birthday I got my second Onoto, the LE "The Faraday." I teach electromagnetic in addition to the many discoveries  I discuss of Faradays, I thought in some of the history of the man. The students love that as with the other instructors it is just equation after equation.

 

Unfortunately the Onotos have gotten even more expensive in the US with the tariffs. But I am still eyeing some of the special editions like Pi, the Rosetta Stone, the British Museum acrylic, and the Magna Ebonite.

 

I have the same Onoto BRG ceramic Scholar.  It's on my desk as I type this.  That it was only available for a limited time make it a limited edition by my definition.

 

 

Speaking of tariffs and pricing, I recently (within this week) noticed that Cult Pens is listing Scholars at what seemed like a lower price than their competitors.

 

[boilermaker1975]

@ParramattaPaul I agree a LE but not numbered. I'll have to check out Cult pens as I believe they also carry the Onoto LEs.

[RedPie]

12 hours ago, boilermaker1975 said:

 I wish that I knew what I know now

Rod Stewart????

[boilermaker1975]

20 minutes ago, RedPie said:

Rod Stewart????

 

The song is Ooh La La, written by Ronnie Wood and Ronnie Lane. The group was Faces. Rod Stewart was in Faces and did most of the vocals. But on this one it was Ronnie Wood singing.

 

 

[RedPie]

1 minute ago, boilermaker1975 said:

 

The song is Ooh La La, written by Ronnie Wood and Ronnie Lane. The group was Faces. Rod Stewart was in Faces and did most of the vocals. But on this one it was Ronnie Wood singing.

Thank you, now I have to listen to it again....👍

[boilermaker1975]

@RedPie Ronnie Wood does sound a lot like Rod Stewart on that song.

 

From Wikipedia,

 

"The lead vocals were provided by Wood, a rarity in the band's catalogue; lead vocals were usually performed by Rod Stewartand less often by Ronnie Lane. Stewart and Lane each recorded lead vocals for the song, but reportedly neither was satisfied by their attempt. Their producer Glyn Johns then suggested that Wood give it a try, and this version was used for the track on the album. Rod Stewart recorded a version of the song a quarter of a century later for his album When We Were the New Boys."

 

Here is Faces, sans the late Ronnie Lane, in a 2015 reunion with Rod doing the lead vocals,

 

https://youtu.be/LE7S9rHdMHI?feature=shared

[boilermaker1975]

@ParramattaPaul Cult has the Onoto Pi for $439.41 while it is $560.08 at Onoto.

 

Also The British Museum is $401.20 at Cult while $496.60 at Onoto.

 

Probably as low as they are ever going to be. I have resisted so far, but I am weakening.

[RedPie]

3 hours ago, boilermaker1975 said:

@RedPie Ronnie Wood does sound a lot like Rod Stewart on that sone.

 

From Wikipedia,

 

"The lead vocals were provided by Wood, a rarity in the band's catalogue; lead vocals were usually performed by Rod Stewartand less often by Ronnie Lane. Stewart and Lane each recorded lead vocals for the song, but reportedly neither was satisfied by their attempt. Their producer Glyn Johns then suggested that Wood give it a try, and this version was used for the track on the album. Rod Stewart recorded a version of the song a quarter of a century later for his album When We Were the New Boys."

 

Here is Faces, sans the late Ronnie Lane, in a 2015 reunion with Rod doing the lead vocals,

 

https://youtu.be/LE7S9rHdMHI?feature=shared

Very cool. Thanks for sharing. I am listening to it while I am typing. Makes my day! 

[ParramattaPaul]

4 hours ago, boilermaker1975 said:

@ParramattaPaul Cult has the Onoto Pi for $439.41 while it is $560.08 at Onoto.

 

Also The British Museum is $401.20 at Cult while $496.60 at Onoto.

 

Probably as low as they are ever going to be. I have resisted so far, but I am weakening.

The Onoto enabler says, 'Go on. You  know you want it.  You can always sell your first born male child into indentured servitude if needed be.'

 

 

N.B. --  Just joking 

[boilermaker1975]

3 hours ago, ParramattaPaul said:

The Onoto enabler says, 'Go on. You  know you want it.  You can always sell your first born male child into indentured servitude if needed be.'

 

 

N.B. --  Just joking 

 

I actually went to pay and then discovered they added on my state's sales tax, which Pure Pens and Mann Inc do not. Then there would be unknown duty/tariffs I would have to pay on import. So I am going to pass. I like the pen designs/themes, but I don't really like acrylic. I prefer the ceramic of our BRG Scholars, the Ebonite you have with your Magna or my metal Retro 51s.

[ParramattaPaul]

38 minutes ago, boilermaker1975 said:

 

I actually went to pay and then discovered they added on my state's sales tax, which Pure Pens and Mann Inc do not. Then there would be unknown duty/tariffs I would have to pay on import. So I am going to pass. I like the pen designs/themes, but I don't really like acrylic. I prefer the ceramic of our BRG Scholars, the Ebonite you have with your Magna or my metal Retro 51s.

Understood.  Re the US tariffs, my understanding is that they just kicked in on stuff from the UK and EU, etc. and started earlier with China, Canada, Mexico, etc.  Is that correct?  I'm not sure where we (Oz) are regarding US trade.  Our tax structure  on goods is already abusive.  There is a sales tax hidden in the retail price that differs from product to product and then a Goods and Services Tax (GST) lumped on top of that.

 

Acrylic doesn't bother me.  In fact, most of my pens are acrylic.  What I do not favour are pens with metal caps and acrylic (or other non-metallic) barrels. 

 

I have a few vintage celluloid pens from the 1930s.  They worry me a little since I know high humidity does them no favours, and I live not that far from Botany Bay and the Pacific.

 

Speaking of the ceramic scholar, I have to admit that I appreciate the added weight it has compared to its ceramic kin.  I never expected that a 'weighted' pen could be such a pleasure to use.

 

[inkstainedruth]

On 8/1/2025 at 11:01 PM, Runnin_Ute said:

On a BIN on ebay a 1975 Parker 75 Cisele with M stub (70) nib.

NICE!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Armo]

I bought this Harlin Straight Line from ebay. It was extremely cheap (under £4) and looks like being one heck of a challenge though it may be fun. Harlin is a lesser known brand from Glasgow, Scotland and is a button filler. Supposed to arrive on Monday.

 

[Arthur Pewty]

Nazareno Gabrielli, 14K M. An intriguing design and a steal at $49.

[Gloucesterman]

1 hour ago, Arthur Pewty said:

Nazareno Gabrielli, 14K M. An intriguing design and a steal at $49.

Very nice looking pen, however the pictures look strange. Top one looks to have a gold barrel w/ a "silver" cap and a gold clip. In the bottom image, the pen looks to be "silver colored with a gold colored clip and section.

And the answer is???????

How about a close up of the nib, please?

Whatever it is, enjoy it!

[inkstainedruth]

Today it was a blue marbled Esterbrook (I think it's a J series size, but haven't had a chance to compare it with the other Esties I have yet) with a 9555 nib.  Went to an estate sale this morning up in the next county because the listing advertised "lots of Parker pens".  Well, the photos showed what looked like BPs (and I was right) and also a Sheaffer No Nonsense (also a BP) -- but also showed two Esties J series pens (I didn't get the other one because I don't need a *third* Estie with a 1555 nib ).

A little pricier than most of the Esties I have, but after having a largely really sucky week, I decided to treat myself and got up at the crack of dawn to go to the sale on the way back to the big camping event which just ended (I wasn't actually camping because of allergies and because of having to get stuff done here at the house).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[boilermaker1975]

On 8/8/2025 at 5:12 PM, boilermaker1975 said:

 

I actually went to pay and then discovered they added on my state's sales tax, which Pure Pens and Mann Inc do not. Then there would be unknown duty/tariffs I would have to pay on import. So I am going to pass. I like the pen designs/themes, but I don't really like acrylic. I prefer the ceramic of our BRG Scholars, the Ebonite you have with your Magna or my metal Retro 51s.

 

This evening I went pack to Cult Pens and on the checkout page it now says, "The total amount you pay includes all applicable customs duties & taxes. We guarantee no additional charges on delivery." 

[ParramattaPaul]

1 hour ago, boilermaker1975 said:

 

This evening I went pack to Cult Pens and on the checkout page it now says, "The total amount you pay includes all applicable customs duties & taxes. We guarantee no additional charges on delivery." 

Nice.  I've noticed that same thing on a few other websites as well.